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Chapter 1
The journey from the capital city of Brightfall in the northeastern part of Astra back to my home took the better part of two weeks. There was currently no direct route to Larkwood's central city, Mistvale. The southern limb of the Old Scourge mountains hugged the coast and jutted out between the border of Astra and Larkwood, which meant either going over the mountain or around it. The mountain pass would increase trade and travel between Larkwood and Elfhaven's other territories, changing life for everyone in Larkwood. But it was currently still under construction.
While our party all rode mounts capable of flying, and we would leave the carriage at the small town at the border, the mountains were too tall to simply fly over the top. My pooka mount would have to hold on to a large winged form to carry me, which would exhaust his magic. And the elevation and distance would overtax the griffins that carried my newly bonded mates and our escort of royal guards. Not to mention, keeping us all breathing properly at those elevations would overtax the magic of the spellcasters in our group. We could avoid the mountains altogether by traveling around them and through the territory of Trireme to the west, but that would take even longer. And I was desperate to reach home. So, we took the road that led up and over the mountain.
It would be an excellent opportunity to do my duty as steward of Larkwood and check the construction of the mountain pass while I was at it. Might as well save myself the headache of making a second trip to the mountains after we got home. A short aerial detour would give me a good look at how things were going.
The first day of travel was blessedly uneventful, as far as travel goes. Several towns and villages sat along our route to the mountains, and the roads in Elfhaven were meticulously well-maintained, with waypoints for travelers. So, there were plenty of places to stop for food and rest along the way. The weather was fair and warm, but not so hot as to make things miserable. The late summer sun mostly stayed behind the puffy white clouds and refrained from roasting us all in our seats.
A good wild run helped calm both me and my horse-shaped pooka mount. I was still stressed over the currently strained relationship between myself and the males who had won the Game of Hearts and became my mates. But as I rode, I could redirect some of that energy into enjoying the beautiful landscape around me. And into planning everything I would need to do upon our return to Larkwood.
Balefire calmed down after our run and settled into an easy pace that matched the griffins around us. Jasper talked non-stop to anyone who would listen. First, he exhausted the guards, then he dropped back to ride beside me. His goofy smile was infectious, and his enthusiastic, childlike wonder at the world around him lifted my spirits. He was currently waxing poetic over a tall, twisted tree along the road that was home to a dryad.
The dryad sat perched on one of the thick, nearly horizontal branches over our heads. She and her ancient tree were wreathed in brilliant green vines with purple flowers, and there were so many honeybees dancing about that you could hear their hum from a hundred paces away.
I nodded to the dryad, and Jasper waved enthusiastically as we passed. She smiled at the boy and waved back as we continued on by, leaving the tree in the distance. "Did you see the size of that trunk?" he breathed. "How old do you think they are, her and her tree? Must be five hundred years, at least."
I huffed a laugh at him, a smile pulling at my lips. He sounded as if he were five years old, rather than on the cusp of adulthood. "At least," I told him. "I believe she and her tree have been here for closer to a thousand years, if I recall my history correctly. My stepmother and I often had picnics under her shade when we would travel between Larkwood and the capital on steward business. The dryad is friendly as long as you're respectful. She loves hearing bits of poetry and songs in exchange for providing shelter to travelers." I winked at him. If he was like most boys his age, he'd enjoy a visit with the buxom, but relatively harmless, dryad. "Next time you pass through here, come prepared with a limerick or two, and you can ask her all about her tree."
Jasper's eyes sparkled, and he grinned at me. "That's a wonder." He didn't leer or make any additional comment. Bach had trained him well. "So, you traveled a lot when you were young? That must have been so nice." He shook his head. "I've been stuck in a little fishing village on the ass-end of the continent all my life. We used to joke that the place was a boil on Elfhaven’s left cheek."
"Language, Jasper!" Bach snapped from behind us.
I suppressed a wry smile. What had I just been thinking to myself about Jasper's politeness and training?
I'd hardly heard Bach speak this whole time, but his barked-out reprimand suddenly reminded me of the sullen males behind me.
Jasper straightened a bit in his saddle and bowed his head to me. "Apologies, my lady."
I rolled my eyes. Then I squared my own shoulders and spoke loud enough that Bach could hear me. If he thought I wanted or needed his coddling, then he was greatly mistaken. "You're allowed to say ass, Jasper. And I’ve witness grosser things than boils. I did spend my early years on a farm or pestering my stepmother’s stable master. You're practically an adult. And I'm no prissy, blushing palace highborn."
The poor squire seemed uncomfortable now, jolted out of his easy wonder by the reminder that his employer was watching him. "Right. Well, I'd better go see if Commander Currant needs anything." He spurred his griffin forward to join the guards. As if the commander of the royal guard detail had any need for a teenaged errand boy.
I sighed and glared at the back of Balefire's head. This was going to be a very long, very boring trip, if Bach kept scaring away the only person willing to chat with me. The guards were too professional to be anything other but polite and dutiful, and my mates were probably too busy setting silent curses on me to make idle chatter.
I was pulled out of my bitter musings when a big griffin drew up next to me. I glanced to the side, then snapped my eyes straight forward again. "Jasper's fine," I informed the broad, black-horned male at my side. Bach looked good on his mount. They were equally matched in power and dignity as they moved. But I refused to let my gaze linger.
He grunted something that could have been agreement or disbelief. It was hard telling, with the permanent look of displeasure he kept plastered on his handsome face ever since the champions' ball.
"He needs to remember himself, so he doesn't end up embarrassing you in public once we get to your home territory," Bach said flatly.
I huffed. "I'm not that kind of steward. And my people aren't that kind of people. If you're expecting pomp and snobbery, then you're going to be sorely disappointed in Larkwood, my lord."
We rode in tense silence for a time before he spoke again. "What should I expect, then?" he asked, his deep voice just shy of sullen.
I glanced at him to find those bright blue eyes locked on me with an unnerving intensity. "What?" I said intelligently.
He arched one dark brow, not looking away. "We would like to know what exactly you expect of us, and what our duties will be once we arrive in Larkwood."
A snort of disbelief left me, and I turned to look over my shoulder at the men behind me. "And you had to ask on behalf of everyone else, because they've all suddenly lost the ability to speak?" I sniped.
My eyes accidentally locked with Fife's, and the searing rage in the cleric's green gaze made me regret absolutely every decision I had ever made in my life. I turned back around, thinking maybe it was a blessing that he wasn't speaking right now. He could be using his beautiful voice to cast spells to injure or maim his lying mate instead. I preferred the barbed silence.
I cleared my throat. "I'm not certain yet what duties you'll be given. But that sort of thing might be easier to determine if we were actually on speaking terms. Or would you rather I just randomly assign you random duties as if you are all slaves?" I looked at Bach then, frustration overriding my resolve to avoid him and my fear of retaliation from his cleric friend. "I'm not the villain you make me out to be."
He narrowed his eyes at me. "You lied to us."
I threw my hands up in the air in absolute frustration, and Balefire snorted, turning his head to eye the fae beside me like he was considering whether he should take a bite out of Bach's muscular thigh. "I had no choice!" I snapped, reining Balefire in before he could maim my stubborn mate.
